It is generally known to provide so-called puddle lights in motor vehicles, which lights illuminate the immediate surroundings of the vehicle in the dark when the vehicle is being entered or exited. These lights, which are also referred to in the art as “ambient lights”, can be mounted or inserted into the undersides of the door handles or exterior rear view (or side) mirrors so that they correspondingly illuminate the ground underneath. Frequently, these puddle lights are switched on when the doors are unlocked, for example by means of a remote key fob.
In addition, in electric vehicles it is known to display to the driver a charge status of the vehicle drive battery by means of suitable status lights in the dashboard so that the driver can detect and assess whether the battery has sufficient charge for the planned journey. These status lights usually do not display the state of charge to the driver until after the ignition has been switched on.
US 2010/0140244 A1 discloses a side mirror arrangement for a motor vehicle, wherein the motor vehicle has a device for controlling the heating of an engine and/or a battery in the motor vehicle, wherein the side mirror arrangement has: a base which is mounted on the motor vehicle, a mirror housing which extends from the base, an electrical terminal which is configured to receive electrical energy from an electrical energy source which is provided outside the motor vehicle and which is connected electrically to the device for controlling the heating of the motor and/or the battery in the motor vehicle. According to FIG. 7, the exterior rear view mirror can also contain an integrated display for the heating status.
FIG. 6 in U.S. Pat. No. 8,125,180 B2 discloses a corresponding display, for the state of charge of a battery.